YOUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION & YOUR ONLY TRUE OPTION

True born again believers in Jesus Christ as the only Son of God who died on the cross and rose from the dead on the 3rd day.  God in flesh who shed His blood to pay my sin debt that I could never pay.  Repent of sin & believe -- Faith alone in Christ alone.  Complete surrender, trust, belief of the finished work of Christ by faith (not blind faith) but faith in what Jesus actually did for us historically and practically and spiritually.  (Spiritual life)	→ → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → →	Eternity in  the new Heaven & new Earth Paradise with God & angels & other believers  Luke 16:26b: ...between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
↑ Spiritually dead We are all born into This status by no choice of our own. Our own sin separates us from God – our level of sin determines our level of punishment in Hell Jesus is the only cure (hope) to avoid this destiny – the one who paid our sin debt and not only that but simultaneously makes our spirits alive again and we are sealed by His Holy Spirit until the Great Ressurection of all dead or as it’s also called -- Jesus 2nd coming	→ → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → →	no one can cross this line   2nd death Hell (Lake of Fire) Eternal separation from God’s presence

 

The four quadrants above  indicate true spiritual positions & destiny of all mankind and arrows indicate one-way directions that man may move only once.  The middle horizontal line denotes that mankind has no power or method of passing over that line by himself. The one arrow pointing upward denotes Jesus Christ as the one and only way to salvation.
Hebrews 2: 1Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; 3How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard him;
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 
1John5:12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 
John 14:19 …Because I live, you also will live….

John 5:24 "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

 

The middle arrows denote Hebrews 9:27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,

 

1. For babies, small children and mentally ill people who die before they can make a clear decision to follow Christ we must trust in an infinitely good and just God to take care of them.  We dare not shout where the scriptures are silent, but it is implied in the old Testament that David would see his baby (who died) in heaven.  
2. But what of those who are of age, yet live and die never having heard the gospel of Jesus Christ?   

Though the scriptures say more than the previous note about babies we still dare not shout on this issue.  We know God is infinitely just and good so it follows he must care about these people and it’s clear He died for them -- we must do all we can do to get the gospel to a lost world.  If you are truly saved yourself the Spirit of God compels you to share the gospel with others and to help &  give to missionaries and groups who take that message across the globe.  After all that was Jesus’ last words to go unto all the world and preach the gospel… --  then he ascended to the right hand of power. 

Concerning this point Romans 1 says: 18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Here is a quote that helped me: 

‘Here is another thing that used to puzzle me. Is it not frightfully unfair that this new life should be confined to people who have heard of Christ and been able to believe in Him? But the truth is God has not told us what His arrangements about the other people are. We do know that no man can be saved except through Christ; we do not know that only those who know Him can be saved through Him. But in the meantime, if you are worried about the people outside, the most unreasonable thing you can do is remain outside yourself. Christians are Christ's body, the organism through which he works. Every addition to that body enables Him to do more. If you want to help those outside you must add your own little cell to the body of Christ who alone can help them. Cutting off a man's fingers would be an odd way of getting him to do more work.'

 C.S. Lewis 'Mere Christianity' page 65

Psalm 19:1 …The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Jeremiah 5:21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear:

1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Psalm 53:1 …The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."…

 

For those who truly repent and come to true belief in Christ the note above about only being able to pass through any line with an arrow ONCE only is very comforting. 

 

But for those who reject the gospel message it should be terrifying but is not.  Why?

 

Ironically but understandably we know this is true.  Those on that road are blind to it.

 

C.S. Lewis explains it best:

‘When a man is getting better he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him. When a man is getting worse, he understands his own badness less and less. A moderately bad man knows he is not very good: a thoroughly bad man thinks he is all right. This is common sense, really. You understand sleep when you are awake, not while you are sleeping. You can see mistakes in arithmetic when your mind is working properly: while you are making them you cannot see them. You can understand the nature of drunkenness when you are sober, not when you are drunk. Good people know about both bad and evil: bad people do not know about either.'

C.S. Lewis 'Mere Christianity' page 88 

“I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of "Admin." The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the office of a thoroughly nasty business concern."
[From the Preface]” ― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

 

I'll close with this portion of scripture that shows that works don't save us but works are the result of being saved and are proof we really did accept Christ truly:  (we don't work FOR our salvation, but we do work FROM our salvation)

Ephesians 2: 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh^a and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

Oh! and don't forget -- we're born to reproduce.  Don't keep this good news to yourself - share it, shout it.  If they reject it and some will at least you obeyed Christ.  What greater thing can we do in this life than obey the master.  People may say I just want to be happy so stop trying to brainwash me with all this religious stuff.  Tell them ultimate happiness is with God & you don't want to miss it and as for this religious stuff it happens to be the only truth you may ever hear. Have you ever heard the truth hurts.  Proverbs 27: 5Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 7The full soul loathes an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. …

Top 100 Most Influential People of All Time

# 1 - Jesus Christ 6 BC - 30 AD
Founder of Christianity, Space time-continuum, & Creator of all things both seen and unseen (physical and spiritual worlds) (Son of God)(God-Man)(Son of man)(Lion of Judah)(Messiah)
King of Kings & Lord of Lords - he Great I AM - the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

Quote from Jesus - "I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me."  Strong words that demand a verdict by all human beings to accept it or reject it - and that decision decides each person's destiny for all time.

CS Lewis put it best - “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened. ”

What of the mentally ill, children who die young or due to abortion, or those who simply never hear the gospel such as those born in isolated and or nomadic tribes around the world AGAIN I think CS Lewis put it best: 

“We do know that no person can be saved except through Christ. We do not know that only those who know Him can be saved by Him.”    ― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity 

Gospel of Luke Chapter 16 - Jesus tells the story of  The Rich Man and Lazarus

19“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 9“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

 

This story by Jesus seems to contradict the first quote by CS Lewis above about those who go to hell are there by their own choice, but analyzed closely, it does not.  It jells very well because even though he obviously is in torment & doesn't want to be separated from God, he realizes it was his choice by the way he lived, and he deserves it.  He wants to warn his brothers to avoid this place of torment, but as you see, Abraham says if they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.  And you reading these words know it's true.  Regardless of the truth, you do what you want, when you want & how you want - damn the consequences.  Ironically that is not freedom!  Repenting of your sin & totally surrendering your life and all you have to God through faith alone, in Christ alone is the only way to be really free of all chains and bondage spiritually. 

Hebrews 9:27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment...

 

# 2 - St. Paul of Tarsus - Jesus witnessed to him personally as light and voice from heaven on road to Damascus (Acts 9)# 

# 3 King Solomon - wisest man who ever lived according to God and son of 2nd King of Israel - King David - authored 3 books of Bible Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon & Proverbs as inspired by Holy Spirit
# 4 Apostle John - the beloved - wrote book of Revelation, Gospel of John & 3 epistles as inspired by Holy Spirit
# 5 - Apostle Peter (considered first Pope) 4th person & 1st man to enter empty tomb of Jesus on resurrection morning (Gospel of Mark indicates 3 women were actually first to enter the tomb and then went to tell the disciples.  John was first disciple at the tomb but he did not enter, just looked in, but once Peter arrived & entered then John followed behind him.
6 All other prophets of God in Holy Bible including figures like Moses, Abraham, Joseph, Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel
Moses c 1500BC - Got 10 commandments from God on Mt Sinai; Abraham of Bible father of Isaac and Jewish & Arab nations & in line of Christ
7  - Muhammad 570-632 Founder of Islam
8 -  Buddha 563-483BC &  Confucius551-479BC
9  Isaac Newton1642-1727 scientist
10 Johann Gutenberg 1400-68 - printing press &  Ts'ai Lun - invented paper c 105 - instrumental in change entire world culture from primarily ORAL/Memorization style of learning to Written word and Reference type learning
11 Leonardo da Vinci - Father of Science (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519, Old Style) was a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer.
12 Pasteur 1822-1895 Vaccinations, Germ Theory, Pasteurization
13 Galileo  1564-1642
14 Aristotle 384-322 BC
15 Euclid  c300BC
16 Columbus 1451-1506
17 Darwin 1809-82 origin of species & father of evolutionary theory
18 Augustus Caesar 63BC -14 & Shih Huang Ti 259-210BC Chinese Emperor
19 Copernicus 1473-1543
20 Antoine Laurent Lavoisier 1743-1794 Scientist Chemistry
21 Constantine the Great c280-337
22 James Watt 1736-1819  steam engine (Industrial Revolution)
23 Michael Farday 1791-1867 electric motor
24 James Clerk Maxwell 1831 - 1879 laws of  electricity and magnetism
25 Martin Luther 1483-1546
26 George Washington 1732-1799 1st President of USA General US Revolutionary War
27 William Tyndale - greatly responsible for printing Bible in English language
28 Orville & Wilbur Wright - 1871-1948; 1867-1912 first airplane
29 Genghis Khan c 1162-1227 ruled largest empire all time
30 Adam Smith  1723-1790 economic theory
31 Edward de Vere (William Shakespeare) 1550-1604 playwright/poet
32 John Dalton 1766-1844 intro of atomic hypothesis in mainstream science
33 Alexander the Great 356-323BC Conquerer brought Greek & MiddleEast
civilizations together resulting in cultural diffusion
34 Napoleon Bonaparte 1769-1821 Military Leader (authorized sale of Louisiana Purchase to USA)
35 Thomas Edison 1847 - 1931 phonograph & light bulb
36 Antony van Leeuwenhoek 1632-1723 discovered microbes
37 William T. G. Mortin 1819-1868 Dentist introduced use of anesthesia in surgery
38 Guglielmo Marconi 1874-1937 Radio inventor
39 Plato 427-347BC considered father of western thought - Philosopher
40 Adolf Hitler 1889-1945 Leader of Nazi party of Germany during WWII (Holocaust)
41 Oliver Comwell 1599-1658 most responsible for parliamentary government of England
42 Alexander Graham Bell 1847-1922 Telephone
43 Alexander Fleming 1881-1955 Penicillin discovery
44 John Locke 1632-1704 First to write coherent form basis idea of constitutional republic
45 Ludwig Van Beethoven 1770-1827 Composer 9 symphonies & so much more
46 Werner Heisenberg 1901-1976 quantum mechanics
47 Louis Daguerre 1787-1851 first practical method of photography
48 Simon Bolivar 1783-1830 The Liberator who led 5 South American countries to independence from Spain
49 Rene Descartes 1596-1650 inventor of Analytic Geometry
50 Michelangelo 1475-1564  Artist
His work (paintings, statues, drawings, etc.) profoundly influenced the development of European painting and sculpture
51 Pope Urban II 1042-1099 Gave the order to start the First Christian Crusades
52 ‘Umar ibn al-Kattab c. 586-644 Religious leader; After Muhammad, Umar was principle figure in the spread of Islam
53 Asoka c. 300BC-c. 232BC Political leader
Third ruler of the Mauryan dynasty and considered the most important monarch in the history of India
54 St. Augustine 354-430 Theologian; writings profoundly influenced Christian doctrines & attitudes throughout the Middle Ages
55 William Harvey 1578-1657 Physician Discovered the circulation of blood and the function of the heart
56 Ernest Rutherford 1871-1937 Physicist Originated the study of nuclear physics
57 John Calvin 1509-1564 Theologian Influential Protestant leader who developed Calvinism (importance of the Bible, dedication to hard work, etc.)
58 Gregor Mendel 1822-1884 Monk and teacher Discovered the basic principles of heredity
59 Max Planck 1858-1947 Physicist Generally considered the father of quantum mechanics (developed Planck’s theory)
60 Joseph Lister 1827-1912 Surgeon  Introduced the use of antiseptic measures in surgery
61 Nikolaus August Otto 1832-1891 Inventor Built the first four-stroke internal combustion engine
62 Fransisco Pizarro c. 1475-1541 Adventurer and conqueror Conquered the Inca Empire of Peru
63 Hernando Cortes 1485-1547 Adventurer and conqueror Conquered the Aztec Empire of Mexico
64 Thomas Jefferson 1743-1826 Political leader 3rd president of United States; Author of Declaration of Independence
65  Queen Isabella I 1451-1504 Political ruler Financed Columbus’s voyage; Instituted the Spanish Inquisition
66 Joseph Stalin 1879-1953 Political leader Ruthless dictator of the Soviet Union
67 Julius Caesar 100BC-44Bc Military and political leader - Played a significant role in the downfall of the Roman Republic; Under his leadership, Roman troops conquered Gaul which provided security for the Roman Empire
68 William the Conqueror c. 1027-1087 Monarch
Led the Norman conquest of England which resulted in the blend of the French and Anglo-Saxon cultures
69 Sigmund Freud 1856-1939 Psychologist Originator of psychoanalysis
70 Edward Jenner 1749-1823 Physician Developed and popularized the technique of vaccination as a preventive measure against smallpox
71 William Conrad Rontgen 1845-1923 Scientist Developed the use of X-rays
72 Johann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750 Composer
Considered to be one of the two or three composers of all time; First man to successfully combine the differing national styles of music which existed in Western Europe
73 LaoTzu 4th c. BC Author Wrote Tao Te Ching; This book is the basis for Taoism
74 Voltaire 1694-1778 Historian and philosopher Wrote numerous books – most famous, Candide; Influenced political thought which ultimately resulted in the French Revolution
75 Johannes Kepler 1571-1630 Astronomer Discovered the laws of planetary motion
76 Enrico Fermi 1901-1954 Scientist Designed the first nuclear reactor
77 Leonhard Euler 1707-1783 Mathematician and physicist - One of the most brilliant and prolific scientists of all time; Wrote 32 full length books concerning practical applications of laws of mechanics
78 Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1712-1778 Philosopher - Major influence on educational theory; Important factor in the rise of Romanticism in literature
79 Niccolo Machiavelli 1469-1527 Political philosopher Wrote the Prince; book often called the “handbook for dictators”
80 Thomas Mahus 1766-1834 Parson (member of the clergy) and professor of history and political economy
First person to stress the overwhelming importance of the problem of overpopulation and to bring this problem to the attention of the intellectual world
81 John F. Kennedy 1917-1963 Political leader - President of the United States; The person who was primarily responsible for instituting the Apollo Space Program
82 Gregory Pincus 1903-1967 Biologist Led the way in the development of the oral contraceptive pill
83 Lenin 1870-1924 Political leader Leader principally responsible for the establishment of Communism in Russia
85 Sui Wen Ti 541-604 Emperor Reunified China after it had been badly divided for hundreds of years; As a result, China continues on the path of a powerful nation
86 Vasco de Gama c. 1460-1524 Explorer Discovered the direct sea route from Europe to India by sailing around Africa
87 Cyrus the Great c. 590BC-529BC Military and political leader; Founder of the Persian Empire (united most of the ancient Middle East into a single state stretching from India to the Mediterranean Sea)
88 Peter the Great 1672-1725 Political leader
Generally acknowledged to be the most outstanding of the Russian czars (emperor); His policy of westernization was a major factor in the transformation of Russia into a great power
89 Mao Zedong 1893-1976 Political leader
Led the Communist party in China; Vastly transformed China politically, economically, socially, and culturally
90 Francis Bacon 1561-1626 Politician and philosopher
The first great philosopher to realize that science and technology could transform the world, and an effective advocate of scientific investigation
91 Henry Ford 1863-1947 Industrialist Introduced the theory of mass production into modern industry
92 Mencius c. 371BC-c. 289BC Philosopher Wrote, Book of Mencius; Immensely influential writer in China
93 Zoroaster c. 628BC-c. 551BC Prophet Founder of Zoroastrianism, a religion that has endured for over 2,500 years and still has followers today
94 Queen Elizabeth I 1533-1603 Monarch Her 45 year reign marked by economic prosperity, a great literary flowering, and the rise of England to first rank among the world’s naval powers
95 Mikhail Gorbachev Born 1931 Political leader Soviet who led decline and fall of old Soviet regime & democratization of the new Russia
96 Menes c. 3100 BC Monarch Original king of the first Egyptian dynasty; First ruler to unite Egypt
97 Charlemagne 742-814 Medieval emperor was king of Franks, conqueror of Saxony, founder of the Holy Roman Empire, and one of the foremost rulers in European history
98 Homer 8th c. BC? Author Wrote the Iliad and Odyssey; Influenced Greek poets and playwrights
99 Justinian I 483-565 Emperor renowned for the great codification of Roman law that was carried out during his reign; Later formed the basis for the development of the law in many European countries
100 Marcus Aurelius April 26, 121 – March 17, 180, (16th Emperor of Rome 161-180)

OTHERS:
 Karl Marx 1818-1883 - writings form basis of Communism
Erik Thorvaldsson  950 – c. 1003), known as Erik the Red is remembered in medieval and Icelandic saga sources as having founded the first Norse settlement in Greenland
Leif Ericson c. 970 – c. 1020) was a Norse^[4] explorer regarded as the first European to land in North America (excluding Greenland), nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus.
Mahavira c. 599BC-c. 527BC Religious leader Founder of Jainism
Einstein 1879-1955 Archimedes Winston Churchill Marie Curie Benjamin Franklin  Abraham Lincoln
Wolfgang Mozart Blaise Pascal Ivan Pavlov Harry S. Truman , Walt Disney, Mark Twain, Cleopatra, Houdini, Clint Eastwood, Charles Dickens, Helen Keller, Chuck Colsen, Ravi Zacharias, Hank Hannegraaf, Paul Harvey, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Andy Griffith, Jane Austen, CS Lewis, Edgar Allen Poe, Billy Graham, DL Moody, David Livingston, King James, Gene Roddenberry, Stan Lee, Mel Blanc, Benny Goodman, Elvis Presley,  Charles Hadden Spurgeon; Josh McDowell; Charles Dickens; Jane Austin

Please note that each person is significant to God and has a purpose and meaning that God gives and no one can take away.  Even though no one reaches our full potential God still desires all people to give their lives to Him and allow Jesus to live His life through them to glorify God and build the Kingdom of God or in other words win souls for Jesus.